i have to laugh, everyone is worried about tony's money, he is not the sponsor of the car, they have sponsors to pick up the tab,

people wanna complain about danica, if it is not her good looks, then she is a ####, i remember a month ago in canada, her front nose got busted, her team wasnt going to fix it, but she made her point and made them fix it, so that makes her a ####? no it makes her a competitor, she didnt want to give up where as her team was ready to pack it in, i am so bored with reading here, "what has she ever done." she has done more than people think, so she has one win, last i checked she is the only woman to have won, and it makes no difference if it was gas mileage or not, a win is a win, most of the nascar races this year has been about gas mileage, but there are haters out there, that hate for no reason, excuse me no VALID reason, i for one am glad she is going to NW and then cup, now i can say i like two drivers from SHR, ryan and danica..............

michaeljohn wrote:[u]i have to laugh, everyone is worried about tony's money, he is not the sponsor of the car, they have sponsors to pick up the tab,[/u]people wanna complain about danica, if it is not her good looks, then she is a ####, i remember a month ago in canada, her front nose got busted, her team wasnt going to fix it, but she made her point and made them fix it, so that makes her a ####? no it makes her a competitor, she didnt want to give up where as her team was ready to pack it in, i am so bored with reading here, "what has she ever done." she has done more than people think, so she has one win, last i checked she is the only woman to have won, and it makes no difference if it was gas mileage or not, a win is a win, most of the nascar races this year has been about gas mileage, but there are haters out there, that hate for no reason, excuse me no VALID reason, i for one am glad she is going to NW and then cup, now i can say i like two drivers from SHR, ryan and danica..............

Hmmmmm, So ur sayin Tony don't have to deal with the sponsor's & they can do what they want? I don't care WHO drive's for SHR Tony dosen't do Buzz that way.....Don't tell me Tony's NOT IN on that DEAL.......

BS & Brilliance only come with Age & Experience!!It's HARVICK'S Turn For TwoDRIVE #4 IT 2017

The interest in Danica is the sponsor that comes with her and she is about as popular as Dale Jr. so who wouldn't want her on their team.The last time i got involved in this, Brad Keselowski was brought up in comparison to his fuel milage win as Danicas one and only.Since then i think i made my point with Brad and i'd hire him before i would Danica then and i still would now. Danica is an average driver at best and if she were a male,there would be no hype over any of it.No offense,but i don't BUY into any of it.

wolfgang wrote:The interest in Danica is the sponsor that comes with her and she is about as popular as Dale Jr. so who wouldn't want her on their team.The last time i got involved in this, Brad Keselowski was brought up in comparison to his fuel milage win as Danicas one and only.Since then i think i made my point with Brad and i'd hire him before i would Danica then and i still would now. Danica is an average driver at best and if she were a male,there would be no hype over any of it.No offense,but i don't BUY into any of it.

I agree on bringing Brad to SHR. I think he's more like Tony that Smoke fans want to recognize. He's got a ton of raw talent and is learning about the PR stuff, IMO.

But I also think most of us realize Danica's draw is the fact she is a female and I see no issue in that. She is not the normal white male NASCAR driver. People are going to notice her, even if she was homely, because she is a female who is strong enough to maneuver a stock car around the track at high speeds and who is savvy and smart enough to make good decisions. Is she better than any of the male drivers, I don't think so, YET. But I'd like her to be given a chance and I'd like it to be with SHR if the money is there and if her addition isn't too distracting for Tony to win some races this year and next. It can just bring SHR more publicity, which helps pull in the sponsors. I don't see how it can hurt the team.

But I would rather have the Kaz at SHR. I think we're in the minority there though.

wolfgang wrote:The interest in Danica is the sponsor that comes with her and she is about as popular as Dale Jr. so who wouldn't want her on their team.The last time i got involved in this, Brad Keselowski was brought up in comparison to his fuel milage win as Danicas one and only.Since then i think i made my point with Brad and i'd hire him before i would Danica then and i still would now. Danica is an average driver at best and if she were a male,there would be no hype over any of it.No offense,but i don't BUY into any of it.

I agree on bringing Brad to SHR. I think he's more like Tony that Smoke fans want to recognize. He's got a ton of raw talent and is learning about the PR stuff, IMO.

But I also think most of us realize Danica's draw is the fact she is a female and I see no issue in that. She is not the normal white male NASCAR driver. People are going to notice her, even if she was homely, because she is a female who is strong enough to maneuver a stock car around the track at high speeds and who is savvy and smart enough to make good decisions. Is she better than any of the male drivers, I don't think so, YET. But I'd like her to be given a chance and I'd like it to be with SHR if the money is there and if her addition isn't too distracting for Tony to win some races this year and next. It can just bring SHR more publicity, which helps pull in the sponsors. I don't see how it can hurt the team.

But I would rather have the Kaz at SHR. I think we're in the minority there though.

The reason i bring up Brad is, in my opinion he is the up and coming driver in Cup,he gets the most out of his equiptment,learns quick and has the right attitude and doesn't pussy foot around with media or anyone else for that matter.What is not to like about Brad,cuz last year he didn't lay down and let Kyle or Carl push him around? There is any driver out there right now and i had a front running team,Brad would be my first choice.Whether Tony likes him or not wouldn't matter as money talks and that's exactly what's going on with Danica and Go Daddy as same for Jr.Motorsports.

wolfgang wrote:The interest in Danica is the sponsor that comes with her and she is about as popular as Dale Jr. so who wouldn't want her on their team.The last time i got involved in this, Brad Keselowski was brought up in comparison to his fuel milage win as Danicas one and only.Since then i think i made my point with Brad and i'd hire him before i would Danica then and i still would now. Danica is an average driver at best and if she were a male,there would be no hype over any of it.No offense,but i don't BUY into any of it.

I agree on bringing Brad to SHR. I think he's more like Tony that Smoke fans want to recognize. He's got a ton of raw talent and is learning about the PR stuff, IMO.

But I also think most of us realize Danica's draw is the fact she is a female and I see no issue in that. She is not the normal white male NASCAR driver. People are going to notice her, even if she was homely, because she is a female who is strong enough to maneuver a stock car around the track at high speeds and who is savvy and smart enough to make good decisions. Is she better than any of the male drivers, I don't think so, YET. But I'd like her to be given a chance and I'd like it to be with SHR if the money is there and if her addition isn't too distracting for Tony to win some races this year and next. It can just bring SHR more publicity, which helps pull in the sponsors. I don't see how it can hurt the team.

But I would rather have the Kaz at SHR. I think we're in the minority there though.

The reason i bring up Brad is, in my opinion he is the up and coming driver in Cup,he gets the most out of his equiptment,learns quick and has the right attitude and doesn't pussy foot around with media or anyone else for that matter.What is not to like about Brad,cuz last year he didn't lay down and let Kyle or Carl push him around? There is any driver out there right now and i had a front running team,Brad would be my first choice.Whether Tony likes him or not wouldn't matter as money talks and that's exactly what's going on with Danica and Go Daddy as same for Jr.Motorsports.

I agree with your points re. Brad (but I think it may be just you, Smokie and me that feel that way on this site). And I don't even know that Tony doesn't like Brad. I haven't heard anything, though I don't read everything. And just because he might have #### Tony off during a race doesn't mean Tony doesn't like him in general. Heck, I think he is a lot like Tony (up to the propensity to get into wrecks in his younger days and his "tell it like it is" don't really want to back down attitude-- oh yeah, and the most important this-- RAW TALENT BABY! Tony had/has it and so does Brad. I saw that when a couple years ago and he's only getting better and better equipment helps, but I said that about him last year on this site. Get that boy into better equipment and he is going to kick some butt when he graduates from Nationwide. I really like almost all the young kids coming up (and most of them are more "likeable" than Brad), but IMO no one has the talent he does.

tlmerk wrote:I agree with your points re. Brad (but I think it may be just you, Smokie and me that feel that way on this site). And I don't even know that Tony doesn't like Brad. I haven't heard anything, though I don't read everything. And just because he might have #### Tony off during a race doesn't mean Tony doesn't like him in general. Heck, I think he is a lot like Tony (up to the propensity to get into wrecks in his younger days and his "tell it like it is" don't really want to back down attitude-- oh yeah, and the most important this-- RAW TALENT BABY! Tony had/has it and so does Brad. I saw that when a couple years ago and he's only getting better and better equipment helps, but I said that about him last year on this site. Get that boy into better equipment and he is going to kick some butt when he graduates from Nationwide. I really like almost all the young kids coming up (and most of them are more "likeable" than Brad), but IMO no one has the talent he does.

I think Brad would be awesome at SHR.

Don't know whether or not Tony likes Brad myself,i was useing him as a referance.Don't know what you mean by it's just me,unless you are referring to my merley mortal opinion of Danica and i agree it appears it is just me? Once i thought i was wrong,but i was just mistaken. I'm not going to say it,but i think Brad is better than----------------------------------------------ahh,most i've seen in a long time.Nascar doesn't need Danica as she hasn't helped fill the stands in the IRL,however,i do believe alot of people are going to be curious and even myself as to what she can or can't do or how she reacts in differant situations even.The one thing for sure is,it's going to be interesting and it's a plus for Nascar.That's as far as i can go Tlmerk,i don't dislike her,but the media frenzy is blowing this way out of out of the water if you ask me.Danica doesn't need all the pressure and we don't need to expect something we may never see.

I think Brad could be a superstar. He has been amazing since he broke his ankle (I thought that would be the end of his chase chances). The verdict will be out once the chase starts but I he'll be higher then 12th.

There is alot of talent in cup. Every driver is good enough to win. When Dania gets here she'll be one of them.

By John Romano, St Petersburg Times Sports Columnist In Print: Thursday, August 25, 2011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Danica Patrick is expected to announce today that she’s leaving IndyCar to race full time in NASCAR’s Nationwide series in 2012.

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At this point, it is pretty much a novelty. A gimmick. A marketing idea designed to make everyone involved extremely rich. Only when we get years down the road will we know whether it is something more. Perhaps a breakthrough in women's sports. Or a setback to that very cause. Danica Patrick is expected to announce today that she is leaving IndyCar to race full time in NASCAR's junior circuit in 2012 with a few Sprint Cup starts mixed in.

If it comes to pass, this would be big news. Not because Patrick was a dominant IndyCar driver. (She wasn't.) And not because she has a lengthy resume in stock cars. (She doesn't.)

It would be big news because she is a name. A face. A sellable commodity in a sport that worships sponsorships and ratings. So for the time being, checkered flags are incidental.

Patrick is heading to NASCAR because it makes too much sense for her not to. Her career in IndyCar may have stalled, but her profile is as high as ever. Moving to stock cars will only increase her visibility, and it will be a TV bonanza for NASCAR as well.

In 2012, that will be enough. Maybe in 2013, too. But eventually, inevitably, Patrick is going to have to deliver on her renown.

That has never really been a huge issue in IndyCar because the sport flies so far below the radar. Middle America may know Patrick from her 10 sponsorship deals, but it doesn't pay much attention to her career beyond the Indianapolis 500 or the occasional headline.

It may not realize that Patrick, 29, has been something of an underachiever since arriving in 2005. Consider, for a moment, that she is one of a small group of drivers who have started 100 or more IndyCar races since that rookie season of hers.

Scott Dixon has started 112 races since then and won 22. Helio Castroneves has started 111 and won 13. Tony Kanaan has started 112 and won 10, and Dan Wheldon has started an even 100 and won 13.

Patrick has 111 starts and has won one.

That doesn't mean she isn't talented, and it doesn't mean she shouldn't have an opportunity to switch gears. It's just that her performance has never been commensurate with her popularity, and that distinction is sure to be more noticeable in NASCAR.

That's why it is a wise decision for Patrick to devote 2012 to the Nationwide series. Essentially the Triple A of NASCAR, the Nationwide series has shorter races at slower speeds and with fewer high-powered drivers.

It is worth noting that other open-wheel racers — Dario Franchitti, Sam Hornish Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya — have jumped directly into Sprint Cup in recent years and have had mostly disappointing results.

That Patrick is willing to start closer to the bottom is a sign of her commitment, her humility and her racing acumen. It is also a wise move politically. Instead of immediately eclipsing the profile of longtime Cup drivers, she is making an effort to pay some dues.

Patrick already has run 20 Nationwide races for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team the past two seasons and has four top-10 finishes, including a fourth place this year that was the highest ever for a woman in either a Nationwide or Sprint Cup event.

Yet Earnhardt, who knows about failing to live up to outlandish expectations, insinuated last week that Patrick still has much to learn about racing stock cars.

"Two or three years in the Nationwide series is a pretty decent amount, and that would be rushing it in my mind," Earnhardt told reporters. "The Cup cars are a real challenge."

Even so, Patrick is likely to compete in a handful of Sprint Cup races for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2012 with the expectation of going full time in 2013.

A handful of women have competed in NASCAR races over the years, but no woman has ever had a full-time Cup ride. That means, in some ways, there is even more at stake than the millions of dollars Patrick and NASCAR are expected to rake in.

Fair or not, Patrick is going to be judged harshly. Her profile is too high, her celebrity too engulfing, for her to be graded otherwise.

If, three years from now, she is running near the front of the pack, she will have done more for women in racing than any of the pioneers before her.

Unfortunately, the reverse will be true, too.

She cannot afford to be just one of the boys, so to speak. It is not just her gender, but her notoriety. With large paychecks and outsized attention comes higher standards.

If she is running 20th, there will be those who wonder why she isn't in the top 10. And if she's in the top 10, others will wonder why she isn't winning. She's coming to NASCAR with less experience and more attention than anyone before her.